Background: Segmental surgical resection is a frequently indicated procedure to treat aggressive mandibular tumors. One of the most important complications derived from this technique is permanent paresthesia of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN), which significantly affects the quality of life of patients who experience it. This could be avoided through maneuvers that preserve the IAN. The objective of this paper is to review the main techniques for IAN preservation and to present 2 cases with the technique used by the author.
Material and methods: A systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines, apropos of two clinical cases reported in this study. The MEDLINE/PubMed and Scopus databases were searched. Several variables were considered and are presented in detail in the form of tables and figures. In addition, 2 case reports with NAI preservation techniques are presented.
Results: 13 articles were finally obtained for analysis. 127 patients were evaluated, reporting mandibular resections associated with various pathologies. Various surgical techniques were used, all with the same goal of maintaining the IAN. In most of the patients, the maintenance of sensitivity was achieved, which was verified with different methods.
Conclusions: Preservation of the IAN in maxillofacial surgical procedures where surgical resection of the mandibular bone has been performed is an alternative that has demonstrated successful results in terms of reducing postoperative sequelae and is currently positioned as a necessary and feasible procedure.